Because people ask me about it all the time, I have decided to write about some basic rules on how to lose weight, specifically lose body fat. Besides, teaching you how to lose some body fat will probably have better consequences than most things I say on this blog. Without further ado...

Rule #1: Eat a good breakfast.

Why? Because if you don't eat it, you will be starving. Starving all day until you eat something. And when you're starving, you want to eat the really bad stuff, like high-calorie, high-carb foods, the kind of food you should never eat. Why? Because it is our human nature.

And when you eat a bunch of easy-to-digest carbs, what happens? Your hormone insulin spikes really high in the blood. Which signals your fat cells to become fatter. It's why insulin is called the ultimate lipogenic (means "loves fat") hormone in our bodies. And only one component of food is known to drive insulin up, up, up: sugar from easy-to-digest carbs.

Read on...

But do we know that eating a healthy breakfast leads to weight loss? Yes! Where is the evidence?

Well, here. According to researchers of the National Weight Control Registry, 4 in every 5 people who lost 30 pounds of weight or more and kept it off for at least half a year reported eating breakfast every single day. Among 10 people who lost this much weight (and 30 pounds is a lot!), 9 of them ate breakfast 5 days a week.

According to a Duke nutrition researcher, when you don't eat breakfast, you are in a prolonged state of fasting. She says, "When you don't eat breakfast, you're actually fasting for 15 to 20 hours, so you're not producing the enzymes needed to metabolize fat to lose weight." And for some reason, people who eat breakfast tend to exercise more. See this article for more details.

Of course, when you do have breakfast, make sure it is healthy.

The best choices for breakfast are eggs and yogurt, both excellent sources of proteins. Fruit is a must as it is full of nutrition and also gives your body sugar in a natural form (meaning with fiber), which is much, much better than sugar added to stuff which quickly causes you to become fat.

Whole grain foods like toast and cereal are good. Oats are probably better. Preferably your breakfast will be a combination of lean protein and complex carbohydrates. This low GI (glycemic index) meal will slowly release energy to your body during the morning, rather than all at once, leaving you hungry again.

Do NOT eat sugary cereals and white flour products like white bread and pancakes because they have a low glycemic index, which is to say that they are easy to digest, cause a big spike in insulin, and will leave you hungry again within hours. And also, there is almost no nutrition in these carbs.

So in sum, to lose weight, the Healthy Indian eats a healthy breakfast every single day. And a healthy breakfast provides you with protein and other nutrients, and lets you avoid easy-to-digest (bad) carbs. Stay tuned for the next rule to lose weight.

Disclaimer: The facts, advice and opinion on www.healthyindiandiet.com are based on scientific evidence published in journals. However, no content should be construed as medical advice. You should seek the counsel of your physician before making changes based on the content, especially if you have a medical condition.

This site is for people who want to eat healthy and love Indian food. Consult your physician before making changes to your diet. To the fullest extent of the law, neither the publisher or authors assume any liability for consequences to persons or property arising out of or related to any use of the material on this website.